In this podcast episode, Lisa reviews a romantic comedy from an Indie author. Listen in...Episode 2 - Indie Review: Michael Carlon's Romantic Comedy
This episode is dedicated to our first indie review of All the F*cks I Cannot Give by Michael Carlon and an indie publishing Tip of the Week - beta readers.
First, Lisa and I chatted about our week. We've both been working hard on the Indie Chicks website and our newest novels.
Next, Lisa dove into her review of All the F*cks I Cannot Give by Michael Carlon. As you may have guessed from the title and cover, this novel is classified as humor and romantic comedy. Lisa tiptoed around stating the complete title like a good Indie Chick! In addition to reviewing the story, Lisa also gave a positive assessment of the book from a self-publishing perspective. I had lots of questions for Lisa about the book and the author including point of view and tense. A brief discussion about POV and tense choice ensued.
Here's the description of All the F*cks I Cannot Give from Amazon:
Kelly Carson is one of those ‘Clark Kent’ like guys who just can’t stand up for himself. His wife doesn’t love him, his boss doesn’t respect him, and his father refers to Kelly’s twin sister as the son he always wanted. With three weeks to go before Christmas, Kelly receives the shock of his life when he’s fired over the telephone while waiting to catch a flight home.
Terri Flynn, a free-spirited starlet who is running away to New York after walking off the set of her latest feature film, overhears Kelly’s unceremonious firing and becomes hell bent on transforming him from the Clark Kent he is into the Superman the impulsive actress feels he’s destined to become. After their flight to New York is canceled, Kelly and Terri take a last-minute jaunt to Hawaii, putting in motion a series of hilarious events and misadventures that will have you belly laughing from page to page.
From the beaches of Maui to the concrete jungle of New York and the underground swinger scene of suburban Chicago, Michael Carlon’s fifth novel, All the F*cks I cannot Give, will have you wishing you were in Kelly Carson’s shoes for just one day.
Next, I introduced the Tip of the Week and may have gone overboard with information! I can't help it, though--it's a side effect from being a professor. Here's a recap of what Lisa and I talked about:
The term beta reader was adapted from software developers. They render a beta version of a program to test out with a group of people to find any potential issues or bugs. Well, the same is true for drafts of a novel. Your alpha version is your first draft. Your beta version is your second, and, hopefully, more refined version. That is the manuscript that you send out to be read (tested) for feedback.
Why do you need them?Lisa, When you try on a new outfit, do you ask someone else how it looks? You want to catch any issues before you send on to a professional editor or publish. Put your best work out there!
Next, I talked about why beta readers are necessary. I asked Lisa an essential question- When you try on a new outfit, do you ask someone else how it looks? If you want to know how she answered, tune in to the podcast. We had a lively discussion! The point was that as an author, you want to catch any issues before you send on to a professional editor or publish. Put your best work out there!
I also talked about things to consider when selecting beta readers. First, make sure that you will get honest feedback.#donotpickyourmom Second, select betas that read in your genre. Third, make sure you choose betas that will be reliable. The number of beta readers you select is up to you.
In regards to how to work with Beta readers, be explicit in what you want them to look for in your manuscript. A good idea is to give them a questionnaire or checklist. Also, be upfront with beta readers about your timeframe and what your expectations are. Lastly, thank them! Be it a mention in the acknowledgment or a beta read in kind for them, do something! I’ve sent personalized, signed copies of books to them when they’re published.
If you want some additional help in acquiring beta readers, you should check out this great article about finding beta readers from Belinda Pollard, How to find a beta reader. Jane Friedman also has some useful info here- How to Find and Work with Beta Readers to Improve Your Book
On our next podcast, Lisa and I will discuss, I've Written My Manuscript, Now What? Lisa will also have a new Tip of the Week. Tune in next time!
And...
Indie Chicks out.
Comments